Lets Play Families!
by Jaizar
Summary: Lily hates the foster homes she has to go to- until she gets to stay in a mansion for two months! Guess who the lucky family is? Lily never counted on having James Potter as a sibling, but hey- its not like they have to share a room or anything, is it?
1. A New Home

A/N: This came upon me during an English lesson, and I thought I might as well give it a go. Please review, you know how much I love them :P. Incidentally, if anyone knows of particularly good Lily/James fics, let me know- I've run out of things to read!

Chapter One

The New Home

Lily stared at her trunk with resignation. Her few belongings were piled into it helter-skelter, books mingling with clothes and vials of potions ingredients. It seemed as though as soon as she got comfortable, she had to leave again.

It was two weeks into the summer holidays, and Lily's sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had just ended. Ever since her parents had been murdered two years ago, Lily had been shuffling between different foster homes and orphanages each holiday. And now it seemed as though the Ministries department for homeless wizards had chosen to move her to yet another foster family. This one was rich, apparently.

Well, it would be a nice change to go to a house that had all the necessary appliances and more. Most of the foster families were well off, but none so much as the one she would be traveling to that day.

She hadn't been told their name yet - she never was. Some load of crap about letting them introduce themselves.

With a sigh, Lily slumped down on her bed. She wished her parents were still alive. She wished she could stay with her friends. But her best friend Margaret was overseas for the three months, and her other friend Chloe had four siblings, meaning there was no room for Lily as well.

"Lily? The car's here," a voice called down the hallway. "Time to go."

Lily got to her feet determinedly.

"Let's see what this family's all about," she muttered.

James Potter lounged on the sofa in his family room. A magazine lay in his lap, but he was staring through the wall-length windows onto the grounds instead. Yes, the _grounds_, not the backyard. The Potters owned over 30 acres of land, so the area surrounding their mansion was…extensive, to say the very least.

Mrs Potter was bustling around the house nervously, inspecting the cookies she had baked especially for the occasion, and plumping cushions up on all the chairs.

"Mum, would you relax already?" James said exasperatedly. "It's all going to be fine!"

Mrs Potter nodded distractedly.

"That's nice, James," she said, obviously not having heard a word he said. "Very nice."

James rolled his eyes, looking back down at his magazine. Who would have thought that the arrival of one teenager would make such a fuss? Well, maybe their guest wasn't just any teenager - a foster child from the Ministry - but still! If they were homeless, then they wouldn't care what the house looked like, so long as it had a bed, right?

James had to admit that he was a little excited about the foster child himself. He had been an only child for all his life, and it would be nice to have some sort of sibling. He knew it was someone from his year at Hogwarts, but he hadn't been told his/her name. Some foster home policy about introducing oneself.

"James! They're here!" his mother's shout came from the front hall.

James sighed and got to his feet.

It was time to meet his new houseguest.

Lily gasped as she got her first view of her new home. It was _huge_! Gorgeous gardens and parkways stretched as far as the eye could see, all belonging to one family. The house was at least as large as half of Hogwarts, and she had heard that only three people stayed there. Instantly, Lily began to feel insignificant. These people would be snobs, she could tell. What did they want a foster child for?

The Ministry car finally rolled up to the front door, and Lily clambered out of the back seat. She went to haul her trunk out of the boot of the car, but the chauffer was already there. He smiled at her and lugged the heavy trunk to the door for her. Then he sat back in his car and with a whoosh, disappeared down the drive.

Lilt took a deep breath and raised her hand to knock on the door. Just as she was about to rap her knuckles against the hard wood, the huge door swung open.

A thin, brown haired woman smiled at her. Lily's heart leapt to her throat. She had the same look in her eyes that Lily's own mother had had. She instantly knew that she would love this woman.

"My name's Lily," Lily mumbled, not knowing what else to do. There was a clatter in the hallway behind the woman and then-

"Lily Evans!" a voice cried.

Lily peered around the woman straight into caramel-gold eyes.

James Potter.

"Uh, hi?" she offered.

But James was dumbstruck. It was going to be an interesting holidays after all.

A/N: So, how was that? Any suggestions for the rest of the plot? I need first names for James' parents as well. And should his dad be thin or fat? Review for me please! Ten reviews and then the next chapter, yeah?

Luv, Jaizar


	2. Awkward Encounters

A/N: Wow! Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews! 21! That's more than I've ever got for a first chapter before! You all rock so much! Everyone had some really good ideas about what to call James' mum and dad, and whether the dad should be thin or fat. What would I do without you all? Oh, and just to let you know, I'm not completely following the fifth books insights. This is just for some fun, yeah?

Quick thanx to:

Fates Fallen Angel: Not only the first review for this fic, but the funniest and longest! You rock so much!

SnakeEyesHannah: Thank you for the great review! I think you're too nice to me!

Sweet Sarcasm: he he he! Your name suits you well! That was so nice, thank you for the compliments!

Chapter Two

Awkward Encounters

The Potter mansion seemed scarily large to Lily. All she had ever known were small, but comfortable houses with two or three bedrooms. But _this_! The mansion had over fifty rooms, not all of them inhabitable. It was very old, almost like a castle. The older parts still had stone floors and pane less windows. The bits where the Potters actually lived were carpeted and fitted with the modern settings that made life easy. James' father was the head of the Department for International Affairs, and so they had a tidy little amount of money stored away for life's expenses.

After the introductions that first day (not that she and James needed any), Lily had been shown her room. It was huge! With its own bathroom, and a king sized, four poster bed…needless to say, Lily was in heaven. She dumped her bags on the ground, promising herself she'd unpack later, and set out to explore the house.

If she took a right in the corridor outside her door, she discovered, it would lead her to the older areas of the mansion. After about ten minutes of walking, she approached what looked to be a ladder leading up to an attic. Cautiously she touched the ladder, and then began to climb.

The room at the top was musty. Lily scanned it quickly. Old chairs, lamps, boxes, James Potter, wait-James Potter?

"What are you doing here?" he exclaimed, finally seeing her.

Lily was so startled she almost fell backwards down the ladder.

"Oh, sorry,' James said, coming over and helping to pull her up into the attic.

"Thanks," Lily gasped, pulling her hand back uncomfortably. She glanced around again. Although most of the room was old and dusty, one corner - the corner James had been in - was swept out and had a desk, a chair and even a small sofa set up appealingly.

James walked over and sat in the chair, indicating the sofa for Lily. She stepped up next to it, but hesitated to sit down.

"Uh, sorry, if I'm intruding…I could just go away, if you want me to-" she began, but James raised a finger to his lips and then indicated the chair again.

Lily frowned a little, but sat down anyway, sinking into the squashy cushions.

"So…is this your den?" she asked tentatively, in an attempt to make conversation.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," James nodded, his back to her, as he bent over something on the desk. He turned to face her, with a smile. "I like the old parts of the castle. They're more imaginative, don't you think?"

"Um…yeah," Lily said, nodding quickly.

The thing was, Lily and James had rarely ever talked to each other at Hogwarts. The closest they came to a conversation was a quick argument about something or other, but even that only ever happened once or twice a year. They really had nothing to do with each other. She had no idea what to do.

"Sirius is coming next week, did you know?" James said suddenly.

"Really? Oh yeah, he stays here in the holidays, doesn't he?" Lily remembered.

"Yeah. Um, I, uh, made this for you," James said, a blush creeping up his face. He held out a piece of paper for her to observe.

It was green and had 'Lily's Room' written on it in big pink letters, with a flower at the end. A bird and a bee were down the bottom, and somehow, James had enchanted them to fly around the page.

Lily looked up in delight.

"That is so nice! It's lovely, James, thank you!" she said, smiling rapturously. With her eyes bright and her cheeks flushed slightly in excitement, she looked beautiful.

James looked away, embarrassed.

"Well, mum said to do something nice," he muttered.

"Oh," Lily nodded.

For a moment they sat in silence. Then-

"Well, I should go," Lily said suddenly, getting up. "I'll stick this on my door."

"Yeah," James said, watching her disappear down the ladder.

After she had gone, he sighed and leant back in his chair. He had no idea how to talk to Lily. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, but he had never really talked to her, and confusion was taking over. He couldn't wait until Sirius arrived- he had a way with the ladies that James had never quite developed.

Who would have thought that a girl in the house could be so much trouble?

(Later that evening)

When Lily walked into the dining room later that night, Mrs Potter - or Elena, as she preferred to be called - was busy setting the table for dinner.

"Er, can I help with that?" Lily asked, stepping into the light.

Elena looked up and smiled.

"Of course," she said. "Could you please get the forks for me from the kitchen drawer?"

Lily nodded, and walked through the adjoining door into the kitchen. There she found a man sitting at the table, his face hidden by a newspaper.

"James?" she asked cautiously, peering at the figure.

The paper was lowered, and Lily found herself staring at an older version of James' good looks. The same eyes, the same unruly hair, and the same twinkle in the smile he gave her.

"No, not quite," he grinned. "Harold Potter, very pleased to meet you." He got to his feet and shook her hands.

Lily's heart squeezed tight, as she suddenly remembered her own father. He had made her feel so safe, just the same as Harold had, the moment he had looked at her. She swallowed the lump that had suddenly risen in her throat and managed a smile.

"I'm pleased to meet you as well. I wonder, could you please tell me where to find the forks?" she asked.

"I sure can," Harold said, walking towards the kitchen. As Lily followed, she finally began to feel at home.

But there was much to happen yet. Maybe the arrival of a certain Sirius Black would spice things up…

A/N: he he he! Did you like it? How about another ten reviews? I have some ideas for the next chapters; I can't wait to write them! So, tell me what was your favorite bit in this chapter, yeah? And personality traits for Sirius- do we want the classic playboy, or someone a little different? Maybe dark and brooding this time?

Review soon!

Luv, Jaizar


	3. Here Comes Trouble

A/N: yay reviews! Thankyou all so much for the wonderful reviews- I haven't had any flames yet, that's how nice you all are! Well, I've had some different opinions on what Sirius should be like, and so far I reckon I'll let it be a surprise to you all. And some people had worries as to whether Lily would have a thing for Sirius. Don't worry, that won't happen- I hate fics where that happens coz its just too sad!

Thankyou to everyone who added me to their favorites lists, very flattering! Now, on with the fic, eh?

Chapter Three

Here Comes Trouble

Lily practically avoided James for the rest of that week. She spent all her time with Elena or Harold, and when James was around, she tried to be inconspicuous. Why? Because James set her off course. She didn't know how to react to anything he said. So she tried to ignore that he was there. Harold took her for tours of the grounds, and Elena took her for a brief shopping trip to Diagon Alley. She bought Lily the most beautiful set of robes, all green and soft and swishy. Lily felt as if she was in a dream, and any moment now, she would wake up, back in a scummy little house with screaming foster parents who only took on kids for the small grant the government gave them.

By the end of the week, she was wishing she could live there forever.

Saturday dawned with beautiful weather, as Harold pointed out that morning at breakfast.

"What say we go for a picnic?" he suggested, peering around the table over his glasses.

Elena looked up.

"Sirius is arriving, darling, we can't," Elena reminded him regretfully.

"You guys could go, and I'll stay here and wait for Siri," James offered.

"No, I wanted to go for a grocery trip anyway," Elena said. "You and Lily can stay here, and your father can come with me."

Lily looked up at the sound of her name. She turned to see James watching her expectantly.

"I don't mind," she said quickly. "Unless James does..?"

"Nope, it's ok," James said. He turned back to his food nonchalantly.

Lily sighed inwardly. She had no idea what to say to the boy and here she was stuck alone with him for a few hours. But what could she have said?

The parents departed shortly after breakfast, and Lily set to work cleaning up around the house. She had good practice at it- it seemed that a lot of 'foster' families only took on children so that they could stand in as servants while the rest of the family had a vacation.

"Let me help," James offered, coming to stand next to her at the sink as she scrubbed a frying pan.

"It's ok," Lily said quickly. "There are only a few more things to wash, after all."

"But in don't want you to think you have to do all the work around here."

James gently took the sponge out of her hands and rinsed it out under the tap. "Stay and keep me company," he said, throwing her a smile.

Lily nodded dumbly and went to stand on the other side of the bench. She was utterly confused. Was this the boy who had almost avidly avoided her for most of the week? What was with the sudden kindness?

"Look, sorry about being so quiet lately," James said, looking down at the pan he was scrubbing. "I just didn't know how to react, you know, what with you being from Hogwarts and all." He looked up to stare into her eyes. "I didn't know you were an orphan," he said honestly.

"That's ok," Lily said. She grinned at him, not upset in the slightest. "Not many people do. It's not something I talk about much."

James smiled back at her.

"Oh, shit," he said, glancing down at his hands. One of his sleeves had come unrolled and was now drenched in water. He looked up at Lily in mute appeal.

She laughed a little and walked back around to stand next to him. Taking the soggy sleeve in her hands, she carefully rolled it back up his forearm to his elbow, conscious of her fingers brushing against his arm, and his gaze upon her face. It was strange, but none of her usual shyness broke through here- it seemed so natural to be doing the dishes with James that she never thought twice about the way he was looking at her.

(James' thoughts)

James watched as Lily pushed his damp sleeve away from his hands, and couldn't help but smile to himself. She was kinda cute, Evans was. Straight away he tore his thoughts away from that track. He couldn't let himself feel that way. It burned him with embarrassment. The memories of when he was in first year and had first seen Lily were still fresh in his mind.

He had spotted her on the platform, and had been stupid enough to inform Sirius that he thought she was cute. Sirius had gone out of his way to shove them in awkward positions, such as squashed together in the boarding line, and next to each other at the house tables. James had always felt like the biggest prat whenever he was near Lily. She had obviously not noticed, though.

"Wow, I can't believe Sirius Black will be here soon," Lily mused, wandering over to the couch. "You know, I've never really talked to him before?"

"Uh, really?" James said, pulling himself out of his reverie. "Well, you haven't missed out on much- he still acts like he's in first year."

Lily smiled, just as the sound of a car sounded outside.

"He's here," James grinned, and jogged out to the front hall. Lily followed apprehensively.

James dragged the heavy door open, revealing the beautiful day that lay outside.

Standing with his back to them was a young man, his broad shoulders braced as he glanced over the grounds. Dressed in a black jacket and black denim jeans, his shaggy black hair just brushing the base of his neck, Sirius Black looked scarier than ever.

Suddenly he turned around, his smile a white flash against his swarthy skin.

"Glad to see me?" he grinned.

No, Lily thought faintly. Terrified is closer to the truth.

A/N: sorry about the wait! This took me forever to write, but I have an excuse! I'm Muslim, and it's Ramadan at the moment, so I've been fasting. It's hard to keep my mind on task when I'm hungry! :P. anyway, did you like it? If so, then what did you like about it? Let me know in your REVIEW! Ten more and you can have another chapter by next week!

Luv, Jaizar.


	4. Sirius Seriously!

A/N: Omigod! You guys are all so nice to me! I almost cried reading all those reviews, thankyou so much! I feel really humbled, thankyou! The support is overwhelming!

Luvsirius: are you muslin? Thanks, and Eid Mubarak to you as well!

Fates Fallen Angel: hee, hee, hee! You always make me laugh. So here you are, another SPECIAL MENTION for once again being the longest review! Also, YOU HAVE A MAID? ARE YOU A PRINCESS OR SOMETHING? OR JUST REALLY REALLY RICH?? Wow, I am impressed. No, I don't speak Malay, but I do learn Indonesian at school. I just got a double distinction in an Indonesian competition, so I'm pretty good at it. I'm Indian by birth, but born in Fiji! You should email me, at . Become my personal jester!

Anyone else who wants to can email me too, I'd love it! Besides, it might convince me to UPDATE sooner winks sneakily...

Now, quite a few people were worried about Lily being 'terrified' of Sirius. Stress less! It's not that she's afraid that he's going to kill her or anything; its more that she feels intimidated by him. But, Lily tells you this herself in this chapter, so read on!

Chapter Four

Sirius- Seriously!

The Potter's treated Sirius as if he was their own son. For a few moments, as they all greeted each other, Lily felt completely out of place. She stood, watching them with a slight smile, reminiscing about her own family. She had no idea where Petunia, her sister, was, and it had been ages since her parent shad died. For a moment, she wandered how different things would be if they were still alive.

Then Sirius turned to regard her.

"Hey, Lily," he said, grinning at her. His teeth were very white and even. Lily shrank back a little.

Although she could not explain why, Lily had always had a very strong fear of Sirius Black. He was so confident and charming and strong- he intimidated her so much that she was unable to speak in his presence.

Yet she squeaked out a quick "hi!" before ducking away and into the hallway. There she leant against the wall and breathed deeply. She would have to face up to her fears of Sirius sooner or later, but for now, she opted for later.

She looked down at herself, trying to picture what she must seem like to the Potter's. She wore jeans and a green jumper, and her long red hair hung down her shoulders, contrasting with her green eyes. She probably looked like a scruff bag, Lily decided, and she tucked her hair back behind her ears, attempting to neaten up.

Just then a shadow fell over the paving stones in front of her and she looked up to see James watching her with concern.

"Are you alright?" he asked, coming to stand next to her.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Lily said quickly. "I just, uh, wanted some fresh air." She nodded towards the open door.

"Ah," James nodded. She could tell that he didn't believe her, but Lily chose to ignore that.

For a moment they stood in silenced, then-

"He's not that bad, you know," James said suddenly. "Sirius, I mean. Why don't you like him?"

Lily stared at him, startled.

"I-I don't...it's not that I don't like him, its that...I don't think he likes me," she mumbled, treading all over her words.

"What? He likes you, of course he does," James said hotly. "Sirius would never be mean to a girl. It's just that he didn't know you were an-" here James broke off suddenly.

"An orphan?" Lily suggested quietly. James looked at her anxiously. "It's ok. I guess it would come as a shock."

"Sorry," James said, looking down. "Just give him a chance, alright?"

He looked at her for a moment longer, then turned and padded softly back into the family room.

Lily leant her head back against the cold stone wall. She would brave her fears and talk to Sirius. If only for the sake of the new friendship she had somehow formed with James.

James watched Sirius unpack his small bag into his usual bedroom. Over the years he had spent at the Potter house in holidays, Sirius had made the room his own, with his posters and clutter creating an atmosphere that was undeniably his own.

"So," Sirius said, turning from his suitcase to regard James. "Evans, huh?"

"What about her?" James asked gruffly.

"Well, I didn't know she went to foster homes. Did you?" the tall boy said nonchalantly.

"What does it matter? It doesn't make her nay different." James said. He avoided looked at Sirius, but his voice was hard.

"Relax- I never said it does. She looked a little scared of me. I wonder why..."

"I think she thinks you don't like her," James said reluctantly. "Can't see why."

"Hmm...neither. Ah well, I guess I'd better do something about that, hey?" Sirius said brightly. Turning, he resumed his unpacking. Can't have the little cat shying away from the scary dog, now can we?"

Lily got her chance to prove herself to James the next morning at breakfast. She had resolved to talk to Sirius, to show James that she didn't hate him or anything.

It was strangely chaotic with Sirius around. He was always joking, always having three conversations at once, and always playing pranks. When he was around, James seemed to become more alive as well, and joined in with twice the energy of his partner in crime. Lily, oddly enough, found it comforting. The noise, the laughter, the life- it all reminded her of her own family, and it just made her all the more relieved that her foster family were the Potters.

Anyway, everyone was eating at breakfast, except for Sirius, who was building a castle out of the Weetbix (a/n: do they have weetbix in England?), and James, who was still asleep. Harold was hiding behind his Daily Prophet, and Elena was busy spreading butter on pieces of bread for sandwiches. They were planning to go for a picnic that day, and so the preparation had begun.

Lily cleared her throat nervously.

"So, Sirius," she began, trying to keep her voice cheerful. "Did you start on the Potions essay Professor Herb set us?"

Sirius looked up from the construction site to stare at her. Lily's face dropped. Perhaps she had been wrong to start this conversation- he didn't look too pleased. But then she realized that the blank look on his face was, in fact, puzzlement.

"What essay?" he asked, frowning slightly.

"You know, the one of poisons and antidotes," Lily said, waving her fork vaguely, and almost flinging a piece of sausage into Elena's face.

"Oh, shit! I mean shoot! I totally forgot about that!" Sirius swore, slapping himself on the head and causing his 'castle' to collapse.

"You can borrow my notes if you want," Lily offered hesitantly. "I mean, I've done the draft if you need to have a look..."

Sirius looked at her quickly, his eyes lighting up.

"Really?" he asked. "You're an angel!" he flashed her a brilliant grin.

And in that instant, Lily knew she had nothing to be afraid of.

(Later)

The picnic was a success. James, although still half asleep, decided that having Lily around was definitely a good thing. Even though Lily seemed to be very timid on first sight, she had a mischievous streak in her that James would never have predicted.

They had walked down to the end of the grounds, where a small river ran through the fields, forming a picturesque scene that looked as though it had been painted into the world. Here they set up camp, and, after lunch, Elena and Harold had both retreated to relax on the picnic rug.

Lily occupied herself by making daisy chains out of the yellow flowers that grew all around her, but she couldn't help but notice the strange behavior that James and Sirius were demonstrating. They seemed to be whispering, and every so often, they would lance at her and whisper some more. Sirius seemed to be protesting to something James had suggested. After a few minutes though, he stopped shaking his head and listened to what James was saying. When they stood up and walked towards her, Lily pretended she hadn't noticed.

"Ahem." Lily looked up to see James attempting to look solemn, but grinning in spite of himself.

"So, Lily, after much consideration," Sirius began, nudging James to stop him from laughing, "We have decided to let you become an honorary member of our river club."

"River club?" Lily raised and eyebrow.

"Yeah, the river club we've had since first year," James said. "It's a stupid name, I know. 'Marauders' is much better. But we were young, and foolish and 'River Club' isn't that bad-"

"We'll show you the club house if you swear never to tell anyone! Only Remus and Peter and us know about it, but...well, we like you," Sirius cut in.

Lily smiled at this.

"Well, thanks," she said, standing up. "I appreciate it."

"We knew you would," Sirius said, and for the first time, he grinned at her properly. It was cheerful and sweet and Lily straight away thought that he would make a great brother.

James grabbed her hand and started leading the way past the picnic rug and towards the small patch of woods near the river. Lily laughed as Sirius followed, chatting animatedly about rules and secrets within the club.

It didn't take long for them to reach their destinations. Right in the middle of the mini woodlands was a small hut, made form reeds and willow branches tied together with twine and spells.

"It's so cute!" she exclaimed. "Who made it?"

"Oh, we did the brute work," Sirius said airily. "And Harold did the spells- we swore him to secrecy!"

Lily bent her head and walked in to the hut, exclaiming over the interior as she did. James turned to Sirius and grinned.

"Told you she'd like it," he said smugly.

"There's a tea pot in here- who made the tea? Wow, you have like a whole library of books here! Is it safe to keep them outside like this? Hey! That one's form the Hogwarts library! How did you get rid of the protection spells?" came Lily's voice from within the hut.

Sirius grinned back at James. He was glad Lily was happy. Ever since he had first seen her, eh had wondered what it would be like to see her really smile. Now he knew. He understood why James was so crazy about the girl oh yeah, James would never admit it. But he had a thing for Lily. He had since first year. He had never had the courage to actually talk to her, but whenever he did he would replay the conversation to Sirius four or five times.

At first, Sirius had been doubtful as to whether Lily was right for James. Now he could see that she was.

James had followed Lily into the hut, and now Sirius watched them from the doorway. She was gushing over the pretty material they had used to cover the windows, and James was standing behind her with a smile on his lips. And Sirius wished with all his heart that one day Lily would love James too. Because he had never seen his friend this happy before.

A/N: so, too sappy? I thought the 'River Club' was kinda cute! ï 


	5. New Arrivals

A/N: hey all! Once again, thanks to everyone for the lovely reviews! They were all long and I have to say, the various threats were hilarious! I guess this must be what JK must have been feeling when people were pressuring for the fifth book, hey? And no, I won't lengthen my chapters. If I did, it would take twice as long for me to write them, and that's boring. Also, I like them this long, so this long they shall stay!

Also, I'm not going to change Sirius' personality, or James'. I like them like this. I'm sick of the goofy Sirius, and the annoying James, so I decided to try for more original marauders for a change. Don't worry, they're still pranksters. And James is only nervous around Lily.

Luvsirius: hello fellow Indian! Hope you like the fic!

Pheonixring5: thanks for the lovely review! I'll try to read those fics when I have time! I'm a Ron and Hermione shipper, but Hermione/Draco can be pretty cute, particularly if you like love/hate relationships!

Dobbyfan18: hello, fellow Muslim! Don't worry, I'll definitely finish this fic!

Fates fallen angel: email me!!! Its zoyabean22 at hotmail etc. did that show up? I think you're becoming my favorite reviewer! And too late, you're already my jester. That review was huge!! But I think you're a bit of a CHEATER! You just cut a chunk out of my fic as part of your review! And I don't live in Fiji; I live in the land of Aus. Why am I telling you this when you told me you're a psychotic stalker?! Any why are you going on about wal-marts? When did I mention wal-marts? ARE YOU INSANE???? OR AM I??? Anyway, the fic…

Get ready for it, coz guess who's coming in now? That's right, Remus Lupin!

Chapter Five

New Arrivals

"Where did Lily go?" Sirius asked, walking into the kitchen while munching on an apple.

James looked up from his potions essay draft to shrug.

"I think she and mum went to go muggle shopping," he said. Putting down his pen, he stood up and stretched. "Hey, have you heard from Moony lately?"

"Nup. Last I heard he was going with Peter to the snows."

"Well, I had an owl from Peter yesterday, and he didn't mention him at all," James said, his brow furrowing with concern.

"Chill. He'll turn up," Sirius said nonchalantly, as if Remus was a book James had misplaced.

James knew though, that under his tough exterior, Sirius was just as worried as he was. Remus and Sirius had a special bond that James could never quite understand. Even though he was wild and rough around everyone else, and definitely closest to James, Sirius was strangely calm and gentle when in the presence of their quiet friend. It was as if Remus soothed him.

"Yeah," James said. "Want to go for a game of Quidditch?"

"Yeah. But you know I'll beat you!" Sirius grinned, walking out of the room to grab his broom.

"You wish!"

Lily fingered the fabric of a pair of checked pants wistfully. They were lovely. She hadn't bought new clothes for what seemed like a century. Her parents had left her some money, but not enough that she could squander it.

"Do you like those?" Elena asked, smiling at her.

"They are nice, aren't they?" Lily said, turning away form the lure of the garment.

They stood in a huge Muggle department store. Manikins stood in various places, showing off the most elaborate clothing, and huge, bright coloured signs told of the best bargains available. Elena was surprisingly comfortable in muggle stores, considering she was a witch. She had told Lily that it was because her closest friend was a muggle-born, and she had been shopping many times with her.

"You shall have them, if you like them," Elena told her, and she picked the pants of the rack.

"B-But- they're so expensive, I couldn't," Lily began, but Elena simply raised a finger to her lips and bestowed her with another smile.

Lily watched her go towards the cashier with mixed feelings. She was as nice as her own mother had been. For a moment, Lily stood, lost in thought.

Suddenly, someone tapped her on the shoulder. Startled, she whirled around to stare into a pair of twinkling grey eyes.

"Hello, red head. Isn't it a nice day?" The tall boy said, his eyes twinkling merrily. His fair hair fell across his forehead and his lean figure swayed as he bent to regard her.

"Remus Lupin?" Lily uttered weakly.

"Got it in one!"

James and Sirius were, there was no other word for it, mooching. James lounged languidly on the couch, his caramel eyes lowered broodingly, while his friend methodically demolished the Potter's food supply.

"These are good," Sirius mumbled around a mouthful of chips. "Want some?"

James rolled his eyes in disgust.

"Do you ever stop eating?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"Never mind," James muttered peevishly. He was bored and wanted Lily to come back. She had promised him a game of chess, and he wanted it now- why did she have to go shopping? What was there to shop for anyway? Were all women insane or something?

Just then, heard the sound of a key in the front door, and then the banging of the door, as it swung open. They were back.

With a leap, James ran out into the hall to accost Lily. For some reason, he enjoyed having her around. Her merry eyes and twinkling laughter caused his heart to leap around strangely. He wasn't all together sure it was healthy, but he was, in a sense, addicted to it.

"Hey," he said, as he entered the hall. And then he froze. Standing in between his mother and Lily, was Remus Lupin.

"Hey to you too," the fair-haired boy grinned. "Aren't you gonna say something?"

"Merlin! Where have you been?!" James erupted, coming forward to hug his friend (very unmanly behavior, but we'll forgive him just this once!).

"Oh, here and there," Remus said airily.

"Remus?" Sirius stood there, grinning widely.

Remus turned to face him with a gentle smile.

"Missed me?" he asked lightly.

"You bet I did! Where have you been?"

As Lily watched the three friends reunite she felt a little excluded. Would things change now, once again? She loved being with the boys. They were hilarious company and kept her mood cheerful all the time. Would the arrival of their friend taint that?

But as James turned to smile at her, her heart lifted. If things did change, it would only be for the better.

A/N: this was crap! I'm sorry! It took forever to get out as well, so sorry again! Please review for me, and I'll try to update again as soon as possible. My excuse is that I've had a lot of school work to do, and I'm also writing a short novel to enter into a competition, so I've been really busy.

Review!!!

Jaizar.


	6. Truth or Dare

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to JKR, except characters and events unrecognizable as being part of the Harry Potter series. This disclaimer applies to all previous chapters.

A/N: hey everyone! Whoa!! That was a tremendous response, how can I ever thankyou??? I hope you don't think I'm ungrateful because I haven't updated for so long! It's just coz I've been so busy! Though I have to say, some of you guys are real wordsworths!! Not- I mean, two words? Come on guys, you can do better! Actually, on the whole, the reviews were quite long, so guess I shouldn't be complaining. All the compliments- u guys are going to make me cry!

Oh, and Remus was in a muggle store because his mother is muggle born, and he always takes the Potter's a gift when he visits, so he was shopping around.

Fates Fallen Angel: Quit your whining! Short chapters are better than NO chapters! laughs evilly. And I'm still waiting for that email! Still, the longest review by far!

Anyway, on with the fic:

Chapter Six

Truth or Dare

"Quidditch."

"No, Chess."

"Oh, come on, why don't we just try for a little conversation?"

Lily looked up from the letter she was writing with a slight smile. The boys had been arguing about their afternoon pastime for almost half an hour now. Shaking her head, she glanced back down at the parchment before her. It was a letter to her sister, Petunia. It wasn't as if she would write back, but Lily tried to retain their relationship nonetheless.

"What do you think, Lily?" James' voice broke into her thoughts.

"Sorry?" she asked, pretending to be confused. She didn't want them to know she had been listening in.

"What do you think we should do?" the black haired boy asked. "This afternoon, I mean."

"Oh, well, I guess…don't you want to play Quidditch or something?" she suggested.

Remus grimaced slightly. His pale blonde hair was falling into his eyes, and he looked more handsome than ever in a white shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and a pair of black trousers. He always seemed so formal. Lily, like every other female, couldn't help but feel the pull of attraction towards him. Still, she would never want to be more than friends with him, she reminded herself, glancing over at James briefly before turning her attention back to the matter at hand.

"What's wrong with Quidditch?" she asked, frowning a little.

"Well, you've got to admit, it's getting a little old," Remus pointed out, causing Lily to smile.

"Hey!" Both James and Sirius cried indignantly.

"Well…I could teach you a muggle game," Lily said thoughtfully.

James walked over to where she sat, and collapsed onto the couch beside her, his knee pressing against hers, rolling his head back, he gazed at her.

"Go on," Sirius prompted her, noticing her moment of distraction with a smile. The two teenagers may not have noticed it, but Sirius could sense the chemistry between them.

"It's called Truth and Dare," Lily began, sitting up and shoving the parchment away. "And this is how you play…"

The boys listened intently as she explained the rules of the game, and the expressions on their faces were reflections of their personalities. Remus was smiling whimsically, hiding his amusement at Sirius' wicked grin and James' horrified bemusement.

"So, who wants to go first?" Lily finished, glancing around at the boys expectantly.

James was mouthing wordlessly, and Remus looked away, scratching his neck silently.

"I guess that leaves me," Sirius grinned. "What do I do again?"

Lily slid down from the couch onto the ground, and indicated for the boys to join her. They sat in a circle, and she placed her wand on the ground between them.

"You have to spin the wand, and whoever the top points at, you have to ask them if they want truth or dare," Lily told him. Wriggling back, she lied down on her stomach and watched as Sirius flicked the wand with a long fingered hand. It spun to a stop, pointing at Remus. Sirius' grin widened.

"Ah, my darling Moony," he said, leaning forward. "What will it be, truth or dare?"

Remus sighed. "They're both equally bad. What do you recommend?"

"Uh-uh, you have to choose," Sirius admonished him with a wag of his finger.

"Fine. Truth."

"Good," his tall friend murmured. He paused to consider, and James nudged Lily with his toe.

"Three guesses what he asks," he offered.

"No idea," Lily whispered back.

"I have it!" Sirius exclaimed, sitting up straight. "Remus Lupin, may I ask, just what were you doing with Alice Grant in the broom closet on the last day of school? And don't say that you were looking for cleaning products!"

Remus smiled and shook his head a little.

"Sirius, you seem to have gotten our roles reversed. Remember, it was you in the broom closet with poor Alice, and I that found you?"

Sirius frowned for a second and then sighed tragically. "You're right. Can I ask another question?"

"No, too late, you missed your chance," Remus said quickly. "My turn to spin, right?"

Lily nodded, trying to keep the amusement out of her eyes. James had stretched out next to her, and the slight pressure where his shoulder pressed against hers was almost burning through her tee-shirt.

"Aha! Lily's turn," Remus grinned. "Hmmm…Lily, Truth or Dare?"

"Truth," Lily said straight away. God only knew what the boys would make her do if she said dare.

"Easy," Remus said. "If you had to marry one out of us three boys, which would you marry?"

"What- that's unfair!" Lily cried. "I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings!"

"Oh come on,' Sirius grinned. "We all know who you're going to say!"

"Yeah, be honest, Lily," Remus said. His eyes twinkled devilishly, and Lily revised her opinion that he was the only sane one out of the Marauders.

"Fine," Lily muttered. She looked around at them. Sirius and Remus were both grinning. Sirius had tied his black hair away from his face, but strands had escaped to hang into his eyes. Remus' shirt was unbuttoned at the first two holes, and his creamy skin beneath it was distracting enough. But still, it was James scent that was driving Lily crazy, and she turned to see him watching her intently. How many times had she heard girls romanticizing about his eyes?

"James,' she said stoutly. "Do you want to know why?"

Sirius nodded, although he was grinning with satisfaction, and Remus inclined his head. James was still staring at her, only now it was in shock.

"Well, you see, Sirius is far too much of a player, and I'd have to worry all the time about whether he still loves me," she began, ignoring Sirius' indignant snort. "And Remus is way too smart for me, I'd feel like a moron all the time."

"Oh, I'm not that smart," Remus assured her, but Lily had turned to look at James.

"James would be reliable, and nice, and I think we get along well enough. And I don't think he'd be that messy or annoying, and he wouldn't treat me like a servant-"

"And we would?" Sirius injected in mock outrage.

"Don't worry, Lily," James said, coming back to his senses. "I'd pick you before these two to marry as well."

Lily smiled, and rolled her eyes. "My turn," she reminded them. With a deft flick of her wrist, she set the wand spinning again. It landed facing Sirius, and she grinned. The game was far from over.

(Later that evening)

Sirius watched Remus unpack from the comfort of his bed. The two boys were sharing a room, next door to James'. They had had the option of separate rooms, but ever since they were in first year, they had been sharing this room together, and they didn't want to break the tradition now.

"So," he said, as Remus threw a pair of socks into his bedside drawer. "Do you think she likes him?"

"You mean Lily and James?" Remus asked, with his back to his friend.

"Nah, I mean Elena and Harold," Sirius said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Duh, I mean Lily and James. Do you think she likes him?"

"Well, I don't think she hates him exactly," Remus said vaguely, and then he grinned at the murderous look on Sirius' face. "Fine, fine, yeah I think she likes him."

"Good," Sirius said with satisfaction. "I knew they'd get together."

"Why do you want them together so much anyway?" Remus questioned, standing with his hands on his hips and surveying his half empty trunk. "You never seemed to care before."

"Because, Moony," Sirius sighed, sitting up straight on his bed. "James is like a brother to me, as are you. And I want you both to be happy. And I remember back in first year when James had the biggest crush on Lily Evans, and I used to think, if going out with that girl makes James happy, then I want them to be together. And my thoughts haven't changed now!"

"Well, it's a nice sentiment, but what if it doesn't work out?" Remus said.

"I won't be to blame- it'll be their own fault!" Sirius declared. "I just want my mates to be happy."

"And they will be, I'm sure, so long as you keep out of it!"

Sirius rolled his eyes and lay back in his bed. Lily and James were meant to be together- they just needed a little shove in the right direction. And Sirius would be there to give it to them, to be sure!

A/N: and I'll leave it there! Ok, time for some bad news: I'm going away for six weeks, and so I won't be bale to update for quite a while- sorry! It's not my fault; my sister's getting married. But never fear, I won't leave you all hanging, I'll write the fic while I'm away and update as soon as I get back! So please don't desert me or forget about me!

I'll be back! Review me please, and I'll love you all forever. And one last thing, if you think the fics crap, at least tell me why!

Luv, Jaizar.


	7. Signs of Love

Disclaimer: everything belongs to JK Rowling, except characters and events unrecognizable as being part of the hp series. This disclaimer applies to all previous chapters.

A/N: hey everyone, I'm back! Well, it's been a long five weeks, but here's another chapter. Thank you all for being so faithful, and still reviewing me while I was away! Oh, and a huge thanks to my new beta reader, Nat. you rock! Enjoy!

Chapter Seven

Signs of Love

For the next few days, Sirius was often found watching Lily and James shrewdly, whether they were together or apart. On one such an occasion, Remus noticed his friend and rolled his eyes. Creeping up behind Sirius, he tapped the boy on his shoulder, startling him almost off his chair.

"Looking for signs of love?" Remus asked mockingly.

Sirius glared at him and turned back to the unsuspecting couple.

"What's there to look for? It's all right here in front of us," he said firmly.

Remus raised an eyebrow and looked at Lily and James. They were busy playing a game of chess. At the moment, it was Lily's turn, and she was eyeing the board with a slight frown of concentration. As much as he didn't want to prove Sirius right, Remus had to admit that signs of affection were beginning to show. James was watching Lily with a half smile haunting his lips. His eyes lingered on her cheeks and lips, and he fiddled with a defeated chess piece idly.

With a quick "Ha!" Lily moved her queen two steps to the right, easily putting James into checkmate.

"I win!" she grinned, clapping her hands in glee. "That's two in a row, and I am undeniably the champion!"

James snorted derisively, but the smile didn't leave his face as he helped her pack the chess pieces, listening to her triumphant crowing tolerantly.

"How can you possibly deny that that's love?" Sirius hissed over his shoulder at Remus.

Remus rolled his eyes. "I don't suppose you've considered that that could be friendship? You know, that _does_ exist between males and females occasionally," he pointed out sarcastically.

But Sirius was ignored him. Standing up, he swaggered over to where Lily and James were kneeling with the chess pieces and sank into the couch next to them.

"So, Lily," he began casually. "How many boyfriends have you ever had?"

"Padfoot!" James exclaimed, instantly turning pink, but Lily laughed.

"None, believe it or not," she told him with a sigh and an air of honesty Sirius hadn't anticipated. "Only a few random snogs at muggle parties."

"Wow! Just like Jamsie here! You may not believe it, but he's not the player everyone thinks he is…" Sirius said, winking knowingly at Lily.

"Shut up!" James hollered, ears reddening even more in embarrassment. "Shut up, or I'll tell Lily about that time with Rose Cleveland in the Arithmancy classroom-"

"Enough said!" Sirius cut in hastily, holding a finger up to his lips. "I just wanted to point out that you two have some things in common."

Lily was looking from one boy to the other with amusement, and Remus was shaking his head wearily.

"You could have started with hobbies, you know, not boyfriends," he pointed out, but Sirius simply waved a hand at him imperiously.

"Shut up, Moony," he bade him.

Remus gave a sigh of exasperation, but did as he was told.

Lily glanced over at James and then looked away quickly. Something was cooking here, and she wasn't sure what.

"What was all that about?" James hissed at Sirius later that day.

The three Marauders were lounging outside on the verandah while Lily had a shower.

"What was what all about?" Sirius blinked back innocently.

"Don't play the fool with me," James said warningly. "You know exactly what I'm talking about."

Sirius sighed. He turned to face James and gave him a mischievous grin.

"Oh come on, Lily didn't seem to mind," he said, giggling like a five-year-old.

Remus, sitting across form his two friends, rolled his eyes almost imperceptibly.

"Yeah, well, how would you know? You didn't exactly ask her, did you?" James said hotly.

"Look, there's no need to get all hot and bothered," Sirius told him serenely. "I was only joking. Unless…"

"Unless what?" James snapped.

"Unless there's something you'd like to tell us."

"Like what?"

"Like…youstillhaveacrushonLily!" Sirius blurted out, and he ran across to sit next to Remus, avoiding James' punch easily. Pulling his knees up to his chin, Sirius resumed his giggling, clapping a hand over his mouth gleefully.

"You are so immature," Remus remarked.

"I do NOT still have a crush on Lily," James hissed, but Remus noted that his friend's ears had turned a spectacular shade of magenta.

"Are you sure?" Sirius goaded.

"Yes!"

"Positive?"

"Just shut up!"

"James, you can admit it, it's alright!"

"Sirius, shut it!"

"James…"

"Alright!" James roared, standing up with his back to the door. "Fine! I have a crush on Lily! Are you happy now? Can you both just leave me alone?!"

He glared at his friends angrily, and then frowned. Remus and Sirius were now both laughing hysterically, holding onto each other and shaking uncontrollably. At James' disturbed look, Remus lifted a hand weak from laughter and indicated behind James - at the door.

With a sinking heart, James turned to look behind him, and found himself staring straight into emerald green eyes, eyes that were crowned with raised eyebrows.

"Oh shit," he cursed, as Lily stared at him.

"Yeah," Sirius added gleefully from behind him. "Deep shit!"

A/N: so, did you like it? Let me know in the REVIEW you're going to give me! :P. fifteen reviews, and then the next chapter, yeah?

Luv, Jaizar


	8. The Missing Friends

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to JK Rowling, except characters and events unrecognizable as being part of the Harry Potter series. This disclaimer applies to all previous chapters as well.

A/N: Hey guys! Once again, thanks for all the lovely reviews! You all made my day! And once again, thanks to Nat, my bonny beta reader. Um, someone complained about the swearing in the last chapter. Well, I'm not going to take that out, because I happen to have a swearing problem, and to pretend I don't would be lying. So sorry, but it stays.

also, i think you guys shoudl all go and read fics by 'Nattatude' because she rox!!!! do so and make sure to rveiew as well!

This chapter was going to be different, but you guy want some action between Lily and James, and I think James wants more action too… :P So here we go, with:

Chapter Eight

The Missing Friends

For a moment, there was complete silence on the porch. Then James let out one long breath and closed his eyes. Opening them again, he stared at Lily in shock, as if he had thought that she would have disappeared in the moment they had been closed.

Remus was looking down to hide his smile, and Sirius was staring from Lily to James, wincing and grinning at the same time.

Lily had her eyebrows raised as far as they could go, and her mouth was slightly open.

"Uh…h-ha, ha, James, that's a great joke," Sirius offered weakly, making an attempt to explain away James' outburst.

The silence continued.

"Or not?" Sirius mumbled, casting his eyes downward. Remus shook his head, and, taking Sirius by the arm, steered him inside, leaving James and Lily alone.

James cleared his throat nervously. Lily's gaze didn't shift. Her stare was beginning to make James uncomfortable, although it was difficult to be any less comfortable than he already was. He glanced around the verandah in search of a distraction.

"Well…the, uh, weather's great today, isn't it?" he began, but Lily's eyes stopped him short.

"Do you really have a crush on me?" she asked bluntly.

"Um…yes. I mean, no. I mean…I don't know?" James babbled. He stared at her wildly.

For a moment, she frowned in confusion. Then a grin crept onto her face, which soon turned into a laugh. Reaching up, she ruffled his hair.

"You're kinda cute when you're all confused like this," she remarked as she walked back into the house.

And James stood out on the verandah for almost an hour, with a goofy grin on his face.

Like someone who was so happy that he was almost drunk on it.

Like someone who was a little bit in love.

"Where are the boys?" Elena asked the next morning, looking from Lily to James.

It was breakfast time, and they were the only two of the four teenagers present. That wasn't very comfortable for either of them, as they were still having difficulties talking after the events of the previous evening.

"Uh, I don't know," James mumbled, clearing his throat. "They weren't in their rooms this morning. And Sirius' leather jacket was missing too. You know how he never goes anywhere without it…"

"Maybe they went for a walk or something," Lily suggested mildly.

"As if Remus would ever go for a walk willingly with Sirius at this time in the morning," James scoffed. "Yeah, right."

"Well, where do you think they are?" Lily asked pointedly.

With a start, James seemed to realize that they were talking to each other.

"Um, I, uh…" he once again lost his capability to speak.

Elena was eying them both suspiciously, and Lily was smiling a little smugly. She had never known she could do that to a guy, and the knowledge was proving rather fun.

"Well, uh, do you two want to go look for them?" she suggested carefully. "In case they _have _gone for a walk, I mean?"

"Sure," Lily said, not noticing James' look of horror.

It seemed that he was not yet ready to handle time alone with Lily. Especially now that she knew he had a…thing for her.

Lily half smiled to herself. James was really kind of cute. She was beginning to like him quite a bit. And she couldn't deny that she had always had a bit of a half crush on him. He was pretty damned crush-able. Maybe time alone was just what they needed. Pity that James didn't seem to share her sentiments…

Sirius half pulled, half dragged Remus through the forest surrounding the Potter estate, once again giggling like a maniac.

"You know, you're really scary when you do that," Remus commented, although he couldn't help a small sigh escaping his lips. His friends were so exhausting.

"But my plan is so perfect!" Sirius exclaimed, as they reached a clearing in the forest. "With us gone, James and Lily can finally have enough time alone to admit that they're in love!"

"Sirius, you're crazy."

"I know! Now we'll just sit here and wait for a couple of hours, and then we can go back and bask in the glory of their love!" Sirius said, still grinning excitedly.

"You realize that once James has a girlfriend, he might not want us to hang around while they're together," Remus pointed out.

"Well, that's inevitable," Sirius said briskly. "There's the advantage of having two best friends. When one gets sick of me, I just hang around with the other."

Remus sighed. It was going to be a long day.

James stared at the back of Lily's head, trying to think of something to say to break the silence. They had been trekking through the grounds for almost fifteen minutes now, and neither one of them had said a word.

"The question is, do we really care where Sirius and Remus went?" Lily said suddenly.

"Huh?" James uttered. Then he mentally slapped himself on the head. Grunting like a Neanderthal wasn't the best way to impress a girl. "I mean, pardon?"

"Well…I'd really like to visit that little club house you showed me again," Lily offered shyly, turning to face him expectantly. "I mean, I didn't get that much of a chance to look around last time, and, well…?"

"Uh, sure," James said, shaking his head a little, as if to clear his thoughts. "Besides, Remus and Sirius are big boys, I'm sure they can take care of themselves."

Lily smiled, and followed him as he headed towards the forest.

Remus tapped a twig against his boot aimlessly, and looked up at Sirius, who was juggling pebbles.

"This is pointless," he remarked conversationally.

"Hey, nothing's pointless if it's for the sake of love!" Sirius shot back indignantly.

"Yeah, says you," Remus muttered.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Well, you are the biggest playboy in Hogwarts, _and_ have been quoted as being a firm believer in lust, not love," Remus pointed out.

"Yeah, but that's all bollocks, and – hey! Look, I heard something!" Sirius hissed, walking stealthily over to the edge of the clearing. "It's Lily and James!"

"What? What are they doing here?" Remus sat up quickly.

"They're going over to the clubhouse! See, my plan's working!" Sirius whispered gleefully.

"They're probably looking for us," Remus rolled his eyes.

"Come on," Sirius hissed, as he began to move forward sneakily.

Remus sighed and got to his feet. With Sirius, it was often easier to just agree.

Lily pushed open the creaky door to the River Club hut carefully, and peered around it before entering.

The air inside was musty, and it was a little dark. She turned around to beckon James, and found herself staring at his chin. She lifted her head a little to look up at him. His gaze was so intense that it was almost scary.

"Uh," she breathed, "It's…dark in here isn't it?"

She took a step back and almost tripped over a stool that lay on its side on the ground. James reached out and grasped her shoulders to steady her.

"Why do you keep trying to run away from me?" he asked, his voice husky.

Lily swallowed. She could fell her heart beat speeding up, and she didn't remember when she had last taken a breath.

"I'm not running away from you," she whispered.

He took a step closer. She stood her ground.

Cautiously, he bent his head. She lifted her chin. Their lips were only centimeters apart. He lifted a wary hand and lightly touched her cheek. She tilted her head, and their lips finally met. All sense of the present disappeared without a trace.

Sirius was watching from the window, and Remus was standing with his back to the hut, watching the rapturous expression on his friends face.

"They're snogging! They're in love! I knew it!" Sirius breathed.

"You are so lecherous, spying on them like this," Remus muttered.

"You just don't want to admit that I'm right," Sirius said over his shoulder.

Remus couldn't help a half smile gracing his countenance, even if it was bittersweet. Love. His best friend was in love.

A/N: So…clasps hands nervously What did you think? Too intense? Actually, I thought it was time for some seriousness in this comedy. Review me, yeah? and don't forget to read Nattattude's fics!

Luv, Jaizar.


	9. Meet the Sidekicks

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to JK Rowling, except any characters or events unrecognizable as being part of the Harry Potter series.

A/N: hey everyone! Thankyou once again for the reviews! And, as per usual, a huge thankyou, and a big hug to my beta reader, Nat. Well, you all seem to be in love with my Sirius, and even my Remus. Aren't they adorable? I love them so much! Especially Siri. By the way, my infatuation with them is purely platonic- I don't want to have their babies or anything :P. still, they're so cool! Hugs J K Rowling for inventing them

Anyway, back to the chapter. New characters!

Chapter Nine

Meet the Sidekicks

"I'm going in," Sirius announced a few moments later. Remus stared at him.

"What! You can't walk in on them!" he protested, but Sirius was already pushing the door to the hut open.

Remus followed almost anxiously behind him.

"Wow, fancy meeting you two here!" Sirius exclaimed loudly as he walked in to the dim interior of their previous 'River Club'. At the sight of him, James and Lily sprang guiltily apart.

"Uh, Sirius, Remus, there you are," James muttered, going red in the face. "F-fancy you guys being here."

"Yeah. Fancy that," Remus said drily. He tactfully avoided looking either of the culprits in the face.

"Were you looking for us?" Sirius asked, with wide-eyed innocence. "We just went for a walk."

"Oh…r-right," Lily said nervously. She was brushing her hair out of her flushed face, avoiding James' eyes.

"Well, now that we've met up, we can all go back together," Sirius suggested, ignoring the uncomfortable looks passing between his friends. "Come on."

The walk back to the house was awkward to say the least. Sirius, being Sirius, rambled on with conversation, basically talking to himself because no one else had opened their mouths.

As soon as they reached the house, Lily fled to her room, leaving James staring behind her, and Sirius hiding his smirks. Remus sighed again.

"Maybe you should go talk to her," he suggested to James wearily.

"What would I say?" the latter asked, rather stupidly.

"Oh, forget it," Sirius interjected. "Let's go find out what's for dinner."

Remus glared at his friend. Talk about unfeeling. But something told him this was all just another part of Sirius' plan…

"Well, you kids sure are quiet today," Elena remarked at breakfast the next morning.

They were now almost a month into their summer holidays, and seventh year was looming undeniably on the horizon. Lily had already completed almost all of her homework. Sirius hadn't started, James was still struggling with Potions and Remus, being Remus, had finished before the holidays had started.

James had spent the whole morning trying to sneak glances at Lily when she wasn't looking. Sirius would giggle and nudge Remus whenever he noticed this, and poor Moony would simply sigh and shake his head, something he was doing often lately.

"Do you want to go out today," Elena asked, once her comment had been ignored.

Lily cleared her throat and pushed back her chair from the breakfast table.

"Uh, actually, I was meaning to ask…a couple of my friends owled me yesterday and asked if I could meet them in Diagon Alley for lunch. We haven't seen each other in a while," she added, looking from Harold to Elena hopefully.

Elena smiled.

"Well of course you can meet them in fact, why don't you call the over here instead? We can all have dinner together, and they can stay the night if you want," she suggested.

Lily nodded and stammered her thanks, a bit taken aback at Elena's eagerness. It had been years since she had last been able to invite her friends to a place she called her home.

"Wait a minute!" Sirius said suddenly, his eyes lighting up. "Your friends are coming here? Possibly even sleeping over?"

"That's what they just said," Remus pointed out evenly.

"You mean that cute blonde and hot brunette?" Sirius continued, his eyes beginning to glaze over.

"Well, I prefer to call them Chloe and Alyssa, but yeah, I guess you could say that," Lily said jokingly, although she still looked bemused. "Is that a big deal?"

"Is that a big deal? IS THAT A BIG DEAL? It's…it's…awesome…" Sirius trailed off, looking as if Christmas had suddenly come early.

Remus was half smiling, with his face hidden, and James was grinning sheepishly. Lily frowned in puzzlement at both of them, but didn't say anything. Elena was still chatting away to herself as she decided on the menu for that evening.

Lily was beginning to have misgivings about inviting her friends into this crazy household, but then-

How bad could it possibly be?

Alyssa Cladberry and Chloe Danks surveyed the house in front of them skeptically. Their friend, Lily Evans, had express owled them that morning saying that instead of lunch they were invited to the Potter estate for a sleepover. She had also mentioned that three of the four infamous Marauders would be present, which had elicited an instant 'yes, we will come,' from the girls.

Who wouldn't want to spend the night with three utterly gorgeous, charming lads? The interest was purely platonic, of course.

Now that they were actually here though, Alyssa and Chloe were beginning to have slight misgivings.

Chloe's blue eyes were wide with amazement, and she shook her head, as if trying to clear her thoughts, causing her short blonde bob to swing wildly. Alyssa, almost the opposite of her friend, with black hair and soft brown eyes, let out a low whistle.

"That is damn big castle," she uttered, unable to keep the amazement out of her husky voice. "You're telling me that only three people live here?" her accent was almost Australian, as she had grown up in Sydney until her parents had chosen to send her to Hogwarts. Her skin was tanned form the sun, and her language could get quite colorful.

It contrasted strongly with Chloe's 'tea-lady' posh annunciation when she nodded and said, "It's golly gorgeous, isn't it? I wonder where we'll get to sleep!"

"In beds, I hope," Alyssa grinned. Chloe rolled her eyes but smiled, and at that precise moment, the door swung open.

"Guys!" Lily almost shrieked. "You're here! I thought I heard a taxi drive up, have you been shopping? God, look at all the bags!"

She embraced her friends quickly, Alyssa and Chloe obviously just as ecstatic to see their friend, as she was to see them. James, Sirius and Remus were watching he exchange form the doorway.

"Three girls- that means one each," Sirius mused. "James will obviously have Lily. Dibs on the brunette!"

Remus slapped him lightly on the back of his head, causing him to exclaim and glare at him.

"What!"

"Shut up. They're coming."

The boys watched as the three girls approached, all chatting excitedly. Although Alyssa and Chloe weren't really model material, they were still fairly pretty, and Sirius couldn't wait to 'get-to-know' them better.

"'Ello, 'ello," Alyssa greeted them, grinning widely. "The Infamous Marauders! Where's the short dude? Isn't he a Marauder too?"

"Peter's away on holiday," Sirius said in what he hoped was a smooth voice. "But don't worry, you've got the three of us to, uh, entertain you."

Alyssa raised her eyebrows, but the grin didn't leave her face as she followed him inside. Meanwhile, Chloe was introducing herself to everyone.

"Chloe Danks, pleased to meet you," she said automatically, as she shook the boys' hands. She paused in between Remus and James quizzically. "Which one of you wrote that tremendous paper on Astronomy last year? You know, the one that got that award?"

"Uh, he did," James said, pointing at Remus, who nodded.

"Are you interested in Astronomy?" he asked politely.

"Oh, ever so much! I'd love to become an astronomy teacher you know? And teach the kids all about the stars and stuff?"

"Oh?" Remus asked, a slight smile creeping over his face as he surveyed the girl in front of him. She was kind of cute, but so not his type. Still, she seemed nice. "Well, I could show you some of my charts if you'd like?"

"Oh, golly, I would! Thanks!" Chloe said excitedly, as she followed him inside.

James glanced at Lily awkwardly. She was staring pointedly in the other direction. They still hadn't found time to talk about their little escapade the previous night, and at the moment, it was obviously the last thing Lily wanted to discuss anyway. But…now that their friends had paired off, where did that leave them?

Lily, not wanting to spend any more time in his silent company, hurried inside after Remus and Chloe, leaving James looking after her stupidly. So their little game of running away had started again…

A/N: ok, first of all sorry! I know this took absolutely ages, but forgive me, I was away on a long trip for a couple of weeks, and I only just got back and then I had a huge pile of homework and well…you catch my drift. Forgive me with reviews, and I promise the next installment will arrive far more quickly! Luv you all,

Jaizar :P :P :P


	10. How Do You Avoid Someone in a Crowd of P...

Disclaimer: everything belongs to JK Rowling, yadiyadiyada.

A/N: hey guys! Ok, ok, I know, this is long overdue, and I'm really slack, and I hope u'll all just forgive me and review this chapter anyway :p. I promise fluff, if only a little, and humour galore (hopefully. Geez, I don't even know what I'm going to write yet!). So read on, read on, and make sure to let me know what you think!

Chapter Ten

How do you avoid someone in a crowd of pairs?

"So, movies first or the board game?" Alyssa asked, holding up first the WizardWondersWitchSite remote, and then a cardboard box that contained the muggle board game, Cluedo.

"Movies, of course," Sirius said, rolling his eyes. "As if we want to start thinking so early into the evening."

Nearby, Chloe and Remus sat huddled over a star chart, where they were debating the various cultural names of the Northern Cross, and on either side of them, Lily and James sat, steadily ignoring each other, although it was obvious to anyone watching that they were both so aware of each other that it was almost painful.

It had not taken long for the girls to fall in with the boys. They were too alike on too many levels to not get along. It was weird that they hadn't tried talking much earlier in their schooling careers.

"What movie will we watch?" Lily asked, picking up the 'TV' guide for that week from the coffee table. "I think they have a muggle movie running tonight."

"Oh, no, please, not a muggle movie," Sirius groaned. "There's no action in muggle movies!"

"Hey, chick flicks rock," Alyssa shot back, throwing him an injured glance. "And they're playing 'The Titanic' tonight anyway. You get to watch Leonardo Di Caprio drown!"

"Leo-what? And what's a 'titanic'?" Sirius asked, bewildered.

Alyssa sighed. "Watch and learn," she bade him, switching the Wizard set on.

Twenty minutes into the movie, and Lily was already feeling back to normal. Nothing like a good Leo pay-out session to get you feeling better. They were just up to the bit where the two leads finally fell in love, when she decided they needed munchies.

"I'll go get some popcorn," she said, getting to her feet. "Anything else you guys want?"

"Oh, yes," Sirius said, immediately sitting straighter. "Chocolate, and some of those weird potato chip things, and some drinks."

"Please," Remus added, shaking his head at his friend's lack of manners.

Lily smiled, and departed to the kitchen. As soon as she was gone, Sirius turned to James.

"Go on," he hissed. "Now's your chance! Get her alone!"

"What the hell? Shut up," James said hotly. 'Get her alone'? That sounded so…lewd.

"Look, you obviously want to talk," Sirius whispered, glancing over at the girls to make sure they weren't listening. "Go now." He raised his voice slightly. "Could you just go tell Lily I want some hot chocolate too, please?"

James shot him a death stare but stood up anyway.

"Yeah, sure. Anyone else?"

"Nah, we're good," Alyssa said, her eyes glued to the screen.

James caught a glimpse of Leonardo and Kate Winslet trapped in a fierce embrace before Sirius shoved him with his foot. Muttering slightly under his breath, James trudged into the kitchen.

Lily was rummaging in the pantry, no doubt searching for one of Sirius' many orders. He paused for a moment to watch her. She was wearing her pajamas: long flannel pants and a tank top, and her hair was tied up in a high ponytail.

James sighed ruefully. Desire was a treacherous beast indeed.

"Ahem," he said softly, causing her to spin around to face him. "I, uh, came to see if you wanted any help. And to, er, deliver some more orders from Sirius…"

Lily stared at him.

"Um. Right. Cool," she said, flustered. He hated that she was uncomfortable around him now. "Well, then, could you please get some drinks out of the fridge?"

"Yeah, sure," James said quickly. He yanked open the fridge door and bent to look inside. Glancing quickly over the door, he watched Lily as she tried to act normal. He had to say something.

"Look, Lily, I-"

"James, about yesterday-"

They both paused.

"Uh, go ahead," James offered gallantly.

"Thanks," Lily murmured. She sighed suddenly, and leant back against the bench top. "Look, I'm really sorry for being so cool…you know, since yesterday. I, uh, didn't mean to be rude. I was just, you know, kind of in shock…I guess."

"It's ok. Me too…I mean, I'm sorry too," James said in a rush. "For you know…not saying anything. But I don't regret it. Yesterday, I mean."

"Oh, neither do I," Lily said quickly. "Of course not."

There was a moment of silence.

"Because, you know, I was kind of thinking, maybe we should…um, you know, go out sometime? If you want to, I mean," James offered, his face growing hot.

"Oh, yes! I mean, sure. I mean, if you want to…" Lily trailed off, her face lighting up against her will.

"Yeah, I want to," James said, grinning now. She was so cute when she got all nervous like this. He stepped closer to her. "I really like you, Lily."

Lily half-smiled, looking down. She had no idea why she was being so shy.

"I like you too." She murmured.

James took another step forward. He tilted his neck. Just as their lips were about to meet, a voice called from the lounge room.

"Where's my chocolate? I want some chocolate!"

"Is that Sirius?" Lily whispered, her hands on James' shoulders.

"Just ignore him," James said.

As their lips met, Lily soon found that that wasn't so hard to do.

A/N: please review! My back is killing me from typing. Hah! I finished another chapter. Wow…never thought I'd do it :P so, review me soon, and I'll try to write another chapter soon, promise! Oh, and I've got a new story up at fictionpress, its called 'Hate Is The New Love'. Check it out for me, plz :P

Omg! Four whole pages. I've totally outdone my self!

Jaizar


	11. By Candlelight

A/N: hey guys! Once again, thanx for all the great reviews, particularly the long ones! I love feedback, so please, do try to tell me a bit more about what u liked/disliked?

Just some comments:

BurningIce22- I didn't know that I was allowed to post original stuff on this site! Am I? I thought that's why they created fictionpress…anyway, thanks for the review.

Sweet Sarcasm: hey! I got a livejournal now- so check it out. Its not much though, mainly just rambling D

Always-blonde: he he, your review kept me amused D I'm proud to say, I chose the electric chair, and the answer to the question is I, right?

TheLovelyLadyLily: hey, thanx! I'm glad you liked that D I thought that Sirius being pushy was kinda cute- it adds to the whole childish appeal.

Chapter Eleven:

By Candlelight/ Sirius' Cheesy Intervention

"You do realize that there's only three more weeks of the summer holidays left," Remus remarked one morning.

It was the weekend after the girl's visit, and things had settled down quite nicely. James and Lily were still going out, but (unlike Sirius with his girlfriends) they kept the public displays of affection to a bare minimum. Elena and Harold didn't know, but they had some sort of inkling that the pair was more than just friends.

Lily wasn't quite sure where the time had gone, but she found herself becoming more and more introverted as the end of the holidays drew closer. These past months had been like a trip down memory lane for her. She had felt as if she was part of a family again, and she never wanted to leave. Lily hated goodbyes.

She looked up when Remus spoke.

They were sitting outside, on the verandah, and he was lounging in one of the deck chairs, his hair flopping lazily into his eyes. It was early afternoon, and the sun was glaringly bright. She sighed.

"Yes, I did realize that," she murmured.

James turned to regard her. He had been worrying about her recently. She was so quiet, so unlike Lily. He had some idea as to what was going on in her mind, but he had no idea what he could do about it.

"Well, school's going to be different," he remarked trying to lighten the mood. "What with us being…you know, together."

Lily glanced at him in amusement.

"So articulate. But you're right, it will be strange," she agreed. "Strange in a good way."

Sirius, who was lounging languidly on the floor, yawned and stretched, tilting his neck form side to side to side to side.

"Well, if we only have three weeks left, I say we spend each and every moment having as much fun as possible right?"

Remus raised an eyebrow in a mixture of fear and curiosity. When Sirius suggested they have 'fun' you never knew quite what to expect.

"Ah, yes…sounds like a good idea," he said warily. He glanced at Lily and James, but they both appeared to have drifted off into their own worlds again. "I think…just what do you have in mind?"

Sirius was watching the two lovers as well, rather thoughtfully. He tapped a finger gently against the side of his head, and then smiled.

"First, my friend," he whispered, leaning close to Remus. "You and I are going to disappear."

Remus sat up straighter in alarm.

"Oh no. Last time that happened was a disaster. Never again."

Sirius frowned in hurt.

"I beg your pardon. Last time we did that was when these two finally got together," he pointed out. "Any idiot can see they're aching for some time alone. Who needs a third, or should I say fourth, wheel?"

Remus sighed, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Fine. Whatever."

Sirius grinned, his teeth flashing wolfishly.

"Excellent."

James was confused. It was evening, and his two friends had been behaving rather strangely. First, Sirius had forced him to take a bath, and then locked the bathroom door for about an hour, leaving James to soak for an unnatural period of time. Then, when he was finally allowed to emerge, he saw that his clothes had been taken by his unruly best friend. Wrapping himself scantily in a towel (and praying that he didn't run into Lily), James opened the door to find Sirius standing outside with a bathrobe ready to swathe him in.

"Chop, chop," his friend urged him along, practically dragging him into his bedroom, and slamming the door shut behind them. "Time to get ready."

"Ready for what? What the hell? Sirius, get out of my closet!" James exclaimed, as the black-haired boy rummaged about in a drawer.

"Aha! Just the thing," Sirius said to himself, standing up straight and turning to face James. "You get into these, and then meet us in the dining room in ten minutes, alright? And don't you dare be late!"

With that, James' slightly psychotic friend disappeared, leaving him staring in confusion at the clothes he now held in his hands. A pair of straight black pants and a (rather sexy) black shirt, the sleeves already rolled up to mid forearm length. Shrugging, his quickly donned the clothes and exited his bedroom. He knew Sirius was up to something, but he decided to play along. Though he hated to admit it, Sirius' plans usually turned out to be quite fun.

At the other end of the corridor, Lily was suffering form the same state of confusion as that which ailed her boyfriend. Remus had just been in to inform her that they would be having a formal dinner that night, and so could she please dress for the occasion. He wouldn't tell her anything else, and so Lily had turned to pondering what she could wear.

The truth was, Lily didn't really own many clothes, let alone formal clothes, but Elena had taken her shopping several times over the summer, and so she had acquired a few new items.

She finally chose a white evening dress that Elena had bought her because it matched so well with her hair and eyes. The dress was sleeveless, and made of white satin. It encased her body tightly up until her waist, when it flared out slightly, to wrap and waft gently around her legs, stopping mid-calf. Lily liked the way it looked on her, and decided that she didn't care if she was overdressed- when else was she going to get a chance to wear this anyway?

Closing her room door gently behind her, Lily made her way down to the dining room. The first thing that hit her was the music. A faint, elegant piano ten was playing softly, just loud enough to reach her ears as she stood in the hallway outside the dining room. The next thing that made her wonder just what was going on was the lights. They were all out, but a faint glow emanated from the doorway. As she stepped closer and peered into the room, Lily saw candles, a tiny wireless, roses and…a table set for two.

"Um…I thought we were having a formal dinner," she said in confusion to nobody in particular.

"Oh, but you are, Lily my dear!" Sirius said, stepping suddenly into the hallway from the room and sweeping an arm around her. He practically dragged her into the room and plonked her down in one of the seats. "Behold! Tonight you will be dining on the most spectacular and refined tastes ever eaten on this side of the hemisphere, and drinking only the finest wines, all brought to you by myself and, of course, Moony here." At this, Sirius gestured vaguely in the direction of the wireless, where Lily could see Remus rolling his eyes while attempting to retune the radio onto the right station.

"Ok…and I guess I'll be eating alone?" Lily said (almost hopefully). She had no desire to be forced into a date with James while Sirius watched like a proud mother from the sidelines.

The black-haired boy chuckled and patted her gently on the head.

"Ah, Lily, such a sense of humor," he said indulgently. "Never fear, your prince will be here shortly."

"I'm guessing you mean me," came a voice from the doorway.

Lily looked up to see James lounging against the doorframe, arms crossed in a stance not unlike the way Remus often stood. He was looking at Sirius amusedly, and then turned to Lily. Their eyes locked, and Lily felt a faint swooping sensation in the general vicinity of her stomach.

She looked away quickly, silently berating herself. What the hell was wrong with her? She had now been going out with James for almost a month, and she still felt like a blushing virgin whenever he was around. Not that she wasn't a virgin…Lily didn't blush very often was all.

James had made his way into he room by then, and was standing across from her, tilting his head to look at her properly.

"You look beautiful," he murmured softly, so that only she could see.

Her blush deepened, and she looked up, flustered. His eyes were regarding her almost solemnly, and she suddenly smiled, feeling the need to break the tension.

"You're not too bad yourself," she said, trying to sound light.

He looked at her, smiling slightly, and then pulled out the other chair and sat down gracefully.

"You're not getting off that easily," he grinned. "You're mien for the whole evening now."

Lily closed her eyes briefly. She didn't like where this was going. Or maybe she did like it, and that was precisely why she didn't like it.

"Right. Um, what are we eating?" she said, almost stuttering on her words. She had no idea why she was so flustered, but it might have had something to do with the almost knowing smiles on the boy's faces.

"The main course is on its way!" Sirius announced dramatically, arriving back in the room holding a tray aloft. "Sorry, guys, we didn't have time to make an entrée. We'll just serve this and be on our way. Desert will come later."

Two plates were placed with many a flourish in front of Lily and James, and then Sirius and Remus retreated, leaving an almost awkward silence in their wake.

Lily glanced down at her plate. Chicken in apricot sauce, as far as she could tell, with a side of steamed vegetables. James had the same.

"So, shall we begin?" James said, breaking the silence and, oddly, the tension too. It seemed as though so long as they were speaking, things remained normal. It was only when he looked at her with that tender gaze that she got flustered.

"Yep. Looks good," she said, picking up her knife and fork. "Then again, if Sirius made it…"

James laughed, and raised his already full wine glass.

"To us," he said, holding it aloft.

"To us," Lily echoed. But as she sipped delicately form her glass, she couldn't help but wonder, what next?

Would everything change when they got back to Hogwarts? Even if it didn't, once she left this summer behind, Lily would have to return to her lonely, family-less life. She wasn't sure she could face that yet.

She looked up, and met James' gaze. In that look, she was reassured. Because something in his eyes told her that she had a family. That she didn't have to worry. That she was not alone. And that she was loved. And that, perhaps, was most important of all.

A/N: don't worry, its not over yet D one more chapter. I really just wanted to wrap up Lily's insecurities. The next chapter will basically finish it off. So, please review, and if you want anything special in the next chapter, let me know, and I'll see what I can do D thanks for having read this far, please review!

JB


	12. The Platform

Disclaimer: everything belongs to JK Rowling, apart from characters and events unrecognizable as being part of the Harry Potter series.

A/N: wow. Last chapter- I have to say I feel a little nostalgic, but this fic was drawing to a close anyway, hey? Thankyou all for reading and reviewing this far, this has actually (with the exception of Changing Rooms) been a very successful fic, and it's all thanks to you guys! So pat yourselves heartily on the backs on my behalf.

Really, the encouragement and support were much appreciated, and I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Although its basically just wrapping things up, it should be fun (I wouldn't know, I still haven't actually written it yet, as I'm typing this). Onwards, fellows, and enjoy!

Chapter Twelve

The Platform

"So you made it out alive," Alyssa commented nonchalantly to Lily as they stood awaiting the boarding call for the Hogwarts Express. "I mean, living with three teenage, rather nice and extremely hot guys- must have been painful."

"You have no idea," Lily sighed dramatically. "It was all blood, guts and terror, everywhere I looked."

"Yeah right. More like triceps, biceps and pectorals, if you get what I mean?" Chloe piped up, her words contrasting starkly with her rather posh accent.

"Um, actually, I wouldn't say they're that buff-" Lily began, but a hand suddenly caught her around her waist, pulling her back to slam into a soft body.

"You wouldn't happen to be talking about us, now then, would you?" James' voice was low and husky in her ear. He was doing that on purpose, and she knew it. By now, James knew just how to get Lily where he wanted her.

"Typical male," Lily snorted. "You immediately assume that any conversation three beautiful girls could be having must be about you."

"Well, who but we inspire that desire, Lily m'dear?" Sirius said theatrically, appearing from the mist behind them with Remus in reluctant tow.

"Hi Lily," the latter said, making up for the lack of greetings from his two friends. "Did you and Elena get here very early?"

The boys had arrived at the station with Harold that morning, while Lily had come with Elena, as they had needed extra space to bring all the luggage. Also, Lily suspected that Elena had simply wanted some time alone with Lily. She had told her that she was always welcome at the Potter's for the holidays, and that she was expected at Christmas. Lily felt as if she had received not only a boyfriend but and entire family from one summer. It was like having two wishes granted in one.

"Yeah, we were a little early," Lily said, smiling up at the tall boy. "But I guess early is better than late like some."

Remus sighed.

"I blame that entirely on Sirius," he said, shaking his head. "He didn't even pack."

"Hey, I had more important things to do, alright?" Sirius said, looking injured. He had already managed to get cozy with Lily's friends, standing between them with an arm around Alyssa. "Like doing my summer homework, for example."

Remus sighed, but apparently had no comment.

The arms around Lily tightened, and James nudged the top of her head with his chin.

"Hello? A little attention, please?" he said. Taking her shoulders, he gently turned her around to face him. "Soon we'll be back at school, and all displays of affection will have to be restricted to the common room, you know."

"Oh, I know," Lily grinned "How will you ever survive."

"How will I survive? I don't see you exactly running away when we kiss."

"Probably because you're restricting my movement."

Just then, Elena and Harold reappeared, looking as worried and anxious as every other parent on the platform.

"Now, you will all be good this year, right? No more pranks and foolery, right?" Elena said, sounding less warning, and more hopeful.

"Geez, mum, that's what we love about you," James said breezily. "Your everlasting optimism."

"James, show your mother some respect," Harold said, btu he wasn't really serious. How could he be with such youthful, hopeful teenagers infrotn fo him? the aksmost mad him feel young again.

The bell rang loud overhead, signallign that it was time to board.

"Take care, all of you," Elena said, hugging each boy in turn (and even hugging Alyssa and Chloe though she was a little uncertain as to who they were). She turned to Lily, her eyes a little brighter than usual. "And you too, Lily. Write to me, ok?"

Lily smiled, her own eyes stinging.

"Of course," she mumbled, her voice muffled as Elena hugged her fiercely.

"Well, on we get," Sirius said brightly, leading the way over to the train.

With one last wave, the six teenagers boarded the train, seeking an empty compartment. James and Lily hung back a little, watching the Potter's getting smaller and smaller in the distance as the Train pulled away from the station.

"Well, Evans, that was some summer," James murmured, not looking at her. "You feeling ready for the new year?"

"I don't know," Lily said honestly. "But there's definitely one improvement from last year."

"Oh?" James said, now turning to glance at her.

"Yeah. I've got you now."

James looked at her. Her hair was even more red than usual, her eyes still bright form unshed tears.

"You definitely have me," he assured her, leaning forwards to press a kiss into her forehead. "For ever and always."

And Lily found, as she looked out the window at the sun rising high and bright over the world, that that wasn't so hard to believe.

FIN

A/N: I know, I know, a trademark short last chapter. So sue me. I have issues writing long chapters. Well, that's the end of that. Please do review, and I hope you liked the end. I am thinking of writing a new fic, I have a few ideas but no promises, k? I hate starting a fic and not finishing it.

Once again, thanks for staying with me this far!

Review,

JB


End file.
